More on my fiction writing

April 25, 2011

Four for Phoenix

In the field for Phoenix mayor, Wes Gullett must show he is more than a Republican political operative with ties to Fife Symington and John McCain, two of the more odious statewide officeholders in Arizona history. Peggy Neely seems to be the candidate of the sprawl developers and considers "standing tall against billboards" an issue of supreme importance. That leaves only two candidates worthy of serious attention: Claude Mattox and Greg Stanton.

Mattox represents Maryvale and much of west Phoenix on City Council. He has shown himself to be a man of integrity, someone who grew in office, and has represented a largely Hispanic, largely poor district well, while also understanding the importance of the Convention Center, ASU Downtown, the biosciences campus, Sheraton and light rail. He's approachable, honest and plays a mean guitar. His rugged face, like something out of a Western, and (when I knew him) sometimes casual-to-sloppy dress causes people to underestimate his intelligence and tactical skill as a politician. He claims an interesting mix of supporters, including Peggy Bilsten (who should have been mayor); Jerry Colangelo (does he care anymore since he's become a west-side sprawl developer?); Matt Salmon (?!?) and former mayor Paul Johnson. The downside? As one person close to city politics put it: "Nice guy, but where's the vision?" Indeed, the issues he's pushing are hardly inspiring: Strong neighborhoods (what does that mean, especially in a city with few real neighborhoods?); safety, and "quality schools" (out of the mayor's control). His bio also lists him as a vice president of something called National Western Vistas Real Estate, whose Web site I can't find, and could Phoenix move beyond real estate, please? Still, Phoenix could do far worse than Mattox. (Update: A reader corrects me, with the Web site here and the BBB file).

Greg Stanton is another candidate who risks being underestimated. Too polished. Too smooth. Too Mister Perfect looks. More than a touch of ambition. Very unlike Mayor Phil Gordon but still another lawyer. But beneath this and the councilman-like talk about "neighborhoods" and "safety," Stanton has an incisive intellect and a sharp understanding that, as he puts it, Phoenix is "a city at a crossroads." More than his rivals, he understands the need to make the transition into quality growth and sustainability. After representing the mostly Republican district (he's a Democrat) that includes Ahwatukee, North Central, Arcadia and Biltmore for nine years on City Council, he went to work as a deputy attorney general for Terry Goddard. Stanton was on the right side in voting against zoning east Camelback for more skyscrapers and in opposing the disastrous sprawl monster, CityNorth. Stanton would be the best choice.

I personally like all four. Neely even invited Grady Gammage and me out to a fancy soiree a few years ago to discuss truth-and-bone about the region's narrow, vulnerable economy. Nobody really wanted to listen, but I give her credit for at least initiating an uncomfortable conversation.

The election is on August 30th. Phoenix elections are decided by very small turnout, and municipal employees, as well as those in organizations supported by city hall, have great sway. The firefighters union, once a major power, probably gave away its endorsement too soon (to Mattox). In recent years, the firefighters have lost influence and elections. We shall see.

It would be nice to see the debates focus on Phoenix's major issues: An economy in crisis, with assets being stolen by the suburbs and an astounding lack of high-quality jobs for a city its size; increasing numbers of working poor and the underclass in linear slums; a Legislature hostile to urban areas; lack of a strategy to address and reverse these trends. The downtown biosciences campus remains a laggard, while its growth is key to allowing the city to leapfrog into a more diverse economy. Central Phoenix, including along the light-rail line, is filled with land-banked, blighted empty land. Phoenix lacks the quality of life and cool factors necessary to attracting the young, educated talent elite compared with other cities its size. It is dangerously unprepared for an economic future dominated by Asia, climate change and higher energy prices. All the things we discuss on this blog.

Phoenix is at the turning point. This is not another election where yet another anointed multi-term City Council member steps in and rides with cruise control set. Gordon inherited a set of initiatives already put in motion by his predecessor, Skip Rimsza. Gordon's successor will get a bundle of rolling crises left by the Great Recession, Phoenix's smug complacency — and, sad to say, Gordon's sideways, inept stewardship in recent years. (Caveat elector: Phil was a good city councilman. That didn't mean he would make a good mayor, as it turned out). He or she will also have to build a consensus on a Council more politicized and divided than at any time in modern Phoenix history.

This would have been the time to put a referendum before the voters for a strong mayor form of government, as well as expanding the Council with at-large members and somehow addressing the problem that the city's heart is represented by a couple of councilmen, instead of the Council as a whole. That could have been Gordon's legacy. A strong mayor system is not a cure-all. But Phoenix is the largest city in the nation with a council-manager form of government. It doesn't work for a city so large and so at risk.

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Is this akin to "the conspiracy" wherein the Republicans helped Obama win so they could blame a whole lot of things they caused on Obama and then make a huge comeback? Personally I got to go with Stanton. I hope his intellect is enough to save him since he seems too nice a guy to be a politico.
Thanks for letting me get the last word on Go Down Easy ( easy piece) before we moved on.

Thanks for the background on Mattox. I knew nothing about him except he represented Maryvale. I can't help but be fascinated by the stunning political detachment of Hispanics. When was the last time we even had one on the Council?

Azrebel,"meme" is one of those words that the blogosphere made happen in popular conversation. I never heard it myself until several years ago on the internet. Apparently, the word's more academic usages have given way to a current definition that means anything from "idea" to "thought pattern". It's still a little hazy.

Greg Stanton is the obvious choice. He is not only a real progressive but understands what urban means and that the city is vital for the overall economic health of the region. Peggy Neely, before announcing her candidacy, was facing recall supported by her base.

And Soleri, I am no longer surprised by the Hispanic detachment in politics and voting. My thing now is how to energize that bloc; I've continued to sign-up for campaign drives and "get out the vote" registration activities. There has to be a point at which this Hispanic inertia is overcome.

As for articles concerning economic growth and job creation in Phoenix and Arizona, I've decided to wait on quarterly projections and actual numbers and more importantly year-to-date comparisons. I have found the articles from the Republic and BizJournal contradictory and not indicative of the "real picture."

For instance, a few weeks ago Phoenix was in the top 10 for job creation/growth. Granted Phoenix is a separate category from Arizona, nonetheless, those definitions are telling; i.e. I'd rather hear that job growth has increased in Phoenix and remained somewhat flat in Arizona. This bodes well for dense employment growth in the CBD where office vacancy rates are low and where real estate is most stable (including rental properties where the average occupancy rate for the downtown market is 96%).

NOTE: It should read "Five for Phoenix." There was no mentioned of the Libertarian, Thane Eichenauer. Unless that was intentional since he stands no chance.

I just got back from Changing Hands bookstore after attending Dog Church where I listened to Pastor Wayne Pacelle, talk about our new bible
"The Bond" and give a rousing sermon on control of the planet by Fido.
"And the dogs sat around the campfire and discussed whether humans ever existed or not." Clifford Simak from his novel "City" 1946.
Spot and his human Cal somewhere in the great Sonoran desert.

"Phoenix has excellent professional management? Now there is a big topic?
Definitely better than the rest of the state municipalities and light years ahead of state managed employees, that I feel extremely sorry for knowing the politicos would like to eliminate state government except the elder they put in charge.

I hope someone asks the candidates some of the points you raise in your blog during one of the debates.

1) What will you do to stop or reverse the growing linear slums and underclass that has emerged in Phoenix during the last decade?

2) How will you transition Phoenix from a real estate and low wage service based economy to one that doesn't rely on growth and creates jobs that pay higher than $50,000 per year?

3) How will you broaden the revenue stream of Phoenix to make is less dependent on the cyclical, unreliable, and regressive sales tax? Will you consider a city income tax, a higher property tax on out of state property owners or land bankers? Will you pledge to not renew the 2% city sales tax on food when it expires?

4) Will you require all new development to be designed and constructed in a way that limits solar heat gain hence reducing energy use?

AZRebel, you have inspired me. With your blessing, I would like to start a Colorado chapter of the Jon Talton Fan Club. I envision the Denver-based chapter growing rapidly -- not unlike the Phoenix that I left in 2004 -- and eventually sponsoring the birth of another chapter in the Rocky Mountain region. Perhaps we could even someday hold a national convention of Jon Talton Fan Clubs?

"Hick" as in Hickenlooper? My grandfather knew his dad Burke B Hickenlooper, Iowa's gov! Sounds like the Jr. Hick has a great deal of support in CO even though he doesn't swing from the far right side of the plate.

AZrebel, those minute entries aren't far off from actual meetings during "official" events of the politicos at the Legislature...you've even managed to get things done (discovered a Mexican restaurant that doesn't serve alcohol; heresy I say!) and have a "balanced" budget...

As a registered Independent, I would love for a candidate/third party to make inroads at challenging our corporate owned oligarchy. Our choice is to make things right with votes in this generation or bullets in the coming generations. I would prefer votes.

How about this for a campaign slogan:

"The Phoenix Express is leaving the station"
Don't miss the train,
get on board with Thane.

Soleri, it seems the legislature is trying to emulate Texas which has been wildly successful in creating jobs in three markets: Dallas, Houston, and Austin. What they fail to realize is that even Texas won't touch any of the loony politics our Legislative "brains" have come up with.

I don't usually paste any economic articles since lately, indicators have varied wildly. From last month:

"Though that sounds small, the Brookings Institution said that's the 7th fastest growth rate among the 100 metro areas analyzed. Much of that growth came in the latter part of 2010, said Brookings research analyst Jonathan Rothwell."

Well Sherlock(s) you finally figured out what day Saturday comes on next. See you at 2PM this coming Saturday. I'll be the guy with the breathing mask on given the latest data listing Phoenix as the second dirtiest (air pollution)city.
THANE come join us at Gallo. We are going to talk about murder in the big city and should one (like I do) have a remote start on their vehicle?
Jon's not coming he is busy writing his next Mapstone mystery.

PSF, I can't argue the respective merits of conflicting data but I can confess that I don't want to see Phoenix succeed on terms advantageous to supply-siders, public disinvestment, and the entire sprawl catastrophe.

I do want Phoenix to succeed but not in any way that only confirms dead-end strategies. And that means we have to wake up to the reality that success is really failure. What good would it do if Phoenix staged an economic recovery if it wasn't predicated on urbanist principles, environmental sensitivity, a real-world economy, and creative-class values? No, give me conspicuous failure, which at least imparts valuable lessons. Success has not only taught has nothing, it's an addiction we seemingly can't recover from. Aside from this blog, a few academics at the Morrison Institute, and possibly some business leaders muttering heresies under their breath, where is the learning?

Phoenix has to touch bottom. We can't fake our recovery with a few head nods in the direction of a diversified economy when it's clear that there's no real public discussion about this where it actually matters. We're about as conscious as Phoenix gets when it comes to these issues and we have very little power or influence. As we understand all-too well, prophets are usually without honor in their own homeland. And needless to say, Phoenix remains mostly oblivious about Talton, his fan club, the Resistance, and the necessary radicalism that would finally change our fate to something better.

Ah Soleri , the ghosts of Socrates rides on the winds of your words and the events of Easter suggests that for the Phoenix to rise from the deadly poison it believed was success, must first die a horrible death before it can rise once again from the ashes.

Soleri couldn't agree more. I've seen the "success" in Texas and do not like what it has created. The sprawl machine there has taken little break in its crawl outward from both downtown Dallas and Houston. I was shocked by how impressive the skylines were in those cities, yet (especially Houston) how incredibly dead they were at night. Houston in particular made Central Phoenix seem almost uber-urban.

The distances traveled in Houston to get places were incredible and traffic a complete nightmare; this is not the kind of success anyone on this blog wishes to espouse for Phoenix. What construction and large scale housing planning is occurring in Arizona or the metro area are in the Central City thus far. And in that sense, I tend to equate success and economic recovery with growth more like Seattle's (despite some issues with car dependency even in that city).

Oh, and while in Houston, a Houstonian bragged about the fact that "downtown" was a wonderful area of over 100 square miles! I was confused; but even in those 100 square miles few people lived and the area where the skyscrapers existed was called "Skyline" and not downtown but was a part of downtown or something like that...

Peggy Neely will NEVER be elected Mayor of Phoenix. As a trusted representative of District 2 she violated her fiduciary obligation to her electors. She has "sold out" to commercial interests like Westcor. She has a clear conflict of interest by having Paul Gilbert, a zoning attorney for Westcor on her campaign staff helping to raise money for her failed bid for Mayor. As head of Transportation for the City of Phoenix as a City Council member, Peggy Neely gerrymandered Sonoran Blvd, a road that was supposed to link the new 303-loop east to Route 51. Upon information and belief she was paid off by Westcor with the help of attorney Paul Gilbert to not only change the name of Sonoran Blvd but to actually build the road so that it aligns with Westcor's property in Northern Phoenix and NOT Route 303. This, of course, enhances the value of Westcor's 80 acre commercial parcel of property. Why is this important? Because now motorists who are traveling on the new extension of 303 won't be able to travel east of I-17 to get to Route 51. Peggy Neely for political purposes "broke" the loop and has caused motorists irreparable harm. Not only that but because of her blind ambition to become Mayor, the road Peggy Neely is building, the NEW Sonoran Blvd., will dead end in a Phoenix residential community causing massive traffic and confusion for NOT only the local residents but for the folks who will be traveling WEST from North Scottsdale, Cave Creek Road area, and Carefree who think they are going to I-17 or 303. They will dead end at the intersection of North Valley Parkway and the NEW Neely Sonoran Blvd. This is called the Road To Nowhere. However, there a simple solution, build the Road To Somewhere. The Road To Somewhere is where the road was originally supposed to be built. This road is ONE mile south of the Neely-Westcor Freeway and perfectly aligns with the new Route 303. In fact, there is funding for this road and not for the Neely-Westcor Road. I am President of the Sonoran Citizens Improvement Association. My name is Clif Freedman. See www.sornorancitizens.com